The wing sweep was automatic, driven by the air data computer. Basically, they programmed as a function of Mach, not airspeed, and move forward and aft as appropriate.
The pilot could take manual control with a switch in the throttle, and place them anywhere equal to, or aft, of the computed forward limit for your flight regime. If you exceeded the limit while in manual (I.e. sped up) then the wings would go back into auto and program aft, and forward again when you decelerated.
The pilot could take emergency control, using a mechanical handle under a guard by the throttles, and position the wings to any angle without regard to airspeed or structural limits. This handle was also used to place the wings in oversweep, which was the configuration in which the airplane was parked on a carrier deck.
If you're interested in the airplane, I once ran a big thread on the F-14 in BITOG...
I'll bump it.
Cheers,
The pilot could take manual control with a switch in the throttle, and place them anywhere equal to, or aft, of the computed forward limit for your flight regime. If you exceeded the limit while in manual (I.e. sped up) then the wings would go back into auto and program aft, and forward again when you decelerated.
The pilot could take emergency control, using a mechanical handle under a guard by the throttles, and position the wings to any angle without regard to airspeed or structural limits. This handle was also used to place the wings in oversweep, which was the configuration in which the airplane was parked on a carrier deck.
If you're interested in the airplane, I once ran a big thread on the F-14 in BITOG...
I'll bump it.
Cheers,